ON THE SINGING OF BIRDS. 345 



chiefly from contending with another bird, or 

 indeed against almost any sort of continued 

 noise. 



Superiority in song gives to birds a most 

 amazing ascendency over each other ; as is well 

 known to the bird-catchers by the fascinating 

 power of their call-birds, which they contrive 

 should moult prematurely for this purpose. 



But, to shew decisively that the singing of a 

 bird in the spring does not arise from any atten- 

 tion to its mate, a very experienced catcher 

 of nightingales hath informed me, that some of 

 these birds have jerked the instant they were 

 caught. He hath also brought to me a night- 

 ingale, which had been but a few hours in a 

 cage, and which burst forth in a roar of song. 



At the same time this bird is so sulky on its 

 first confinement, that he must be crammed for 

 seven or eight days, as he will otherwise not 

 feed himself; it is also necessary to tye his 

 wings, to prevent his killing himself against 

 the top or sides of the cage. 



I believe there is no instance of any bird's 

 singing which exceeds our black bird in size ; 

 and possibly this may arise from the diffi- 

 culty of its concealing itself, if it called the 

 attention of its enemies, not only by bulk, 



